ABSTRACT: Dissemination of High-Risk and Novel ESBL-Producing E. coli Clones Across One Health Interfaces in Nine African Countries: A Whole-Genome Perspective from the SeqAfrica-FAO Network
Project description:Background: It remains unclear how high-risk Escherichia coli lineages, like sequence type (ST) 131, initially adapt to carbapenem exposure in its progression to becoming carbapenem resistant. Methods: Carbapenem mutation frequency was measured in multiple subclades of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) positive ST131 clinical isolates using a fluctuation assay followed by whole genome sequencing (WGS) characterization. Genomic, transcriptomic, and porin analyses of ST131 C2/H30Rx isolate, MB1860, under prolonged, increasing carbapenem exposure was performed using two distinct experimental evolutionary platforms to measure fast vs. slow adaptation. Results: All thirteen ESBL positive ST131 strains selected from a diverse (n=184) ST131 bacteremia cohort had detectable ertapenem (ETP) mutational frequencies with a statistically positive correlation between initial ESBL gene copy number and mutation frequency (r = 0.87, P<1e-5). WGS analysis of mutants showed initial response to ETP exposure resulted in significant increases in ESBL gene copy numbers or mutations in outer membrane porin (Omp) encoding genes in the absence of ESBL gene amplification with subclade specific adaptations. In both experimental evolutionary platforms, MB1860 responded to initial ETP exposure by increasing blaCTX-M-15 copy numbers via modular, insertion sequence 26 (IS26) mediated pseudocompound transposons (PCTns). Transposase activity driven by PCTn upregulation was a conserved expression signal in both experimental evolutionary platforms. Stable mutations in Omp encoding genes were detected only after prolonged increasing carbapenem exposure consistent with clinical observations. Conclusions: ESBL gene amplification is a conserved response to initial carbapenem exposure, especially within the high-risk ST131 C2 subclade. Targeting such amplification could assist with mitigating carbapenem resistance development.
Project description:The present study examines changes in global gene expression patterns and in virulence factor-associated genes in an extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing UPEC (ESBL019) during the morphologic transitions induced by an ineffective antibiotic and in the presence of human primary bladder epithelial cells. The morphological shifts induced by ineffective antibiotics are associated with significant transcriptional virulence alterations in ESBL-producing UPEC, which may affect survival and persistence in the urinary tract.
Project description:Burkitt lymphoma is the commonest cancer in children in Africa. We compared the gene expression profiles of African Burkitt lymphoma patients with those of cases presented in Western countries in both immunocompetent (sporadic Burkitt lymphoma) and HIV-infected patients (immunodeficiency associated Burkitt lymphoma). We used microarrays to detail the global programme of gene expression in different subtypes of Burkitt lymphoma.
Project description:Lassa fever outbreaks hit West African countries every year and there is still no licensed vaccine to limit the burden of this viral hemorrhagic fever. We previously developed MeV-NP, a single-shot vaccine that induces protective immunity in cynomolgus monkeys one month or more than a year before Lassa virus infection and that is able to protect against divergent viral strains. Given the limited dissemination area of Lassa virus during outbreaks and the high risk of nosocomial transmission, a vaccine that induces rapid protection could be useful to protect exposed people during outbreaks in the absence of preventive vaccination. We tested whether the time to protection could be reduced after immunization by challenging MeV pre-immune cynomolgus monkeys 16 or 8 days after a single shot of MeV-NP. None of the immunized monkeys developed disease and they rapidly controlled viral replication. Animals immunized eight days before the challenge were the best controllers, producing a strong CD8 T-cell response against the viral glycoprotein. A group of animals was also vaccinated an hour after the challenge. These animals did not develop any protective immune responses and presented the same lethal disease as the control animals. This study demonstrates that MeV-NP can induce a rapid protective immune response against Lassa fever in presence of MeV pre-existing immunity but can likely not be used as therapeutic vaccine.
Project description:The global surge in multi-drug resistant bacteria, including extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli has led to a growing need for new antibacterial compounds. Despite being promising, the potential of fish-derived antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in combating ESBL-E. coli is largely unexplored. In this study, native peptides were extracted from the skin mucus of farmed African Catfish, Clarias gariepinus, using a combination of 10 % acetic acid solvent hydrolysis, 5 kDa ultrafiltration, and C18 hydrophobic interactions. Peptides were then sequenced using Orbitrap Fusion Lumos Tribrid Mass Spectrometry. The identified peptides were screened for potential antibacterial activity using Random Forest and AdaBoost machine learning algorithms. The most promising peptide was then chemically synthesized and evaluated in vitro for safety on Rabbit red blood cells and activity against ESBL-E. coli (ATCC 35218) utilizing the spot-on-lawn and broth dilution methods. Eight short peptides were identified with 13 - 22 amino acid residues and molecular weight range of 968.42 to 2434.11 Da. Peptide, FACAP-II was non-hemolytic to rabbit erythrocytes (p>0.05), with Zone of Inhibition (ZOI) of 22.7 mm and Minimum Inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 91.3 μg/mL. The peptide is thus a candidate antibacterial compound with enormous potential applications in the pharmaceutical industry. However, further studies are still required to establish the upscale production strategy and optimize its activity and safety in vivo.
Project description:Colectomy is the most commonly used therapeutic approach for the treatment of non-metastatic colorectal cancer. This approach is generally very effective however the rate of recurrence and the appearance of metachronous metastasis remains a major problem in the postoperative period. One of the hypothesis that can explain this tumor progression is the dissemination of tumor cells at the time of tumor mobilization. In this work, we wish to verify this hypothesis by comparing two surgical technics used in our department for left or right colectomies: respectively either first section of the mesenteric vessels followed by the mobilization of the tumor or first mobilization of the tumor followed by the section of the mesenteric vessels. To evaluate the dissemination, we will study two disseminations markers that have shown their prognostic value: i) circulating tumor cells (which represent a direct marker of dissemination) and ii) tumor circulating DNA (which is an indirect marker) but has the advantage of being more representative of all tumor clones and therefore the tumor burden released into the blood at the time of surgery).
Project description:Little is known about metabolic changes accompanying endothelial cell (EC) quiescence. Nonetheless, when dysfunctional, quiescent ECs (QECs) contribute to multiple cardiovascular diseases. ECs need fatty acid β-oxidation (FAO) for proliferation. Surprisingly, we now report that QECs are not hypo-metabolic, but upregulate FAO >3-fold higher than proliferating ECs (PECs), not to support biomass or energy production, but to sustain the TCA cycle for redox homeostasis through NADPH production. Hence, inhibition of FAO-controlling CPT1A promotes EC dysfunction (anti-fibrinolysis, leukocyte infiltration, barrier disruption) by increasing oxidative stress in CPT1AΔEC mice with endothelial CPT1A loss. Mechanistically, Notch1 orchestrates the use of FAO for redox balance in QECs. Supplementation of acetate (metabolized to acetyl-CoA) induces vasculoprotection against oxidative stress and EC dysfunction in CPT1AΔEC mice, possibly creating therapeutic opportunities. Thus, ECs use FAO for vasculoprotection against their high oxygen (oxidative stress-prone) milieu, and for different metabolic purposes dependent on their proliferation versus quiescence status.
Project description:Low temperature stress in a number of African countries, such as Botswana, at night can effect the growth and development of bambara groundnut, leading to losses in potential crop yield. Therefore, we made an attempt to identify and analyze the genes and gene modules associated with low temperature stress response in bambara groundnut using the cross-species microarray technique, as bambara groundnut has no microarray chip, coupled with network-based analysis.